His Missing Luna

CHAPTER 19

NATHAN

MISSING LUNA

The elders were waiting when I arrived at my office. My assistant made them comfortable with some drinks and snacks.

“Alpha,” they all greet me, rising to their feet and baring their necks.

“Elders, please sit,” I greet them back, pointing to the chairs, hoping to wrap up the meeting quickly so I can return to Jessica. She hasn’t eaten.

“How was your journey?” Elder Savrin asks.

“Eventful and fruitful,” a small smile creeps at the corner of my lips. My mate’s face flashes before me and Declan gives a loud yelp in my head, rolling joyfully on his back.

“Not to sound disrespectful, Alpha. May we know how it went? The mating ceremony and your stay at the Montana pack.”

My brows furrow, passing my gaze around their faces. They all keep blank expressions as they look back at me. “Is there a reason why you would like for me to give you a detailed breakdown of my stay at the Montana pack?” The elders have never asked me such a question before since I became Alpha of the pack. Nor do I remember my father being asked such too.

“We don’t require a detailed breakdown, just what happened?” Elder Savrin explains, gesturing with his hands and chin.

“Require?” I arch a brow at him.

He bows his head at me. “I apologize for using the word.”

“I went for the ceremony and came back. Finished,” I reply, playing at their game.

“Is that all that happened there?”

“Excuse me,” I grunt at him. “What are you trying to find out?”

They all exchange looks before another elder takes the lead.

“Rumors reaching our ears say that you took the mate of the young alpha at the altar,” his eyes briefly hold mine before looking away. “May we know why you would do such a thing?”

Leave it to elders to have ears and eyes everywhere. If it were up to me, I would have disbanded them all the moment I became Alpha. But for my parents who still believe in having a council.

“They are not rumors,” I reply, leaning back into my seat, ignoring their murmurs and judging eyes. “I need to know how they found out,” I link Alex and Tyler.

“So, it’s true. You stole another alpha’s mate,” Elder Savrin says. “That’s enough grounds for them to start a war with us and also report you to the Council.”

“If your sources are truly efficient and not as ineffective as you all are, they would have told you that I claimed her as my true mate and invoked the Probability Clause.”

Their stunned looks don’t fool me. It only tells me they are the most foolish bunch of people I have ever seen.

“But, we thought Alpha Drake’s daughter was to be your chosen?” Savrin blurts out like the i***t and cunning snake he is.

“When did I make such a decision?”

He glances around the faces of his fellow fools and snakes. “You both have spent quite some time together and we thought—”

I bang my fist on the table, cutting him short. “We only had flings which you all know about. None of them ever made me think of ever taking her as my mate. This is the last time I want to hear of such.”

“But, there are rumors spreading around the pack that she’s going to be your Luna.”

My eyes narrow at the bunch of them. “I want those rumors squashed today and never spoken of.”

“How do we do that? We didn’t start it.”

I rise to my feet and ensure they all are in my sight. “If I as much as hear a whisper of Sasha being my Luna, your heads will fall at the feet of my mate.”

Their gasps and murmurs follow us as my men and I leave the office.

“I have tracked the source of the rumors.”

“And?” My voice comes out harsh at Tyler.

“Savrin has a close relationship with Drake. His daughter is mated to one of Drake’s members,” Tyler replies in his usual calm voice.

“No wonder,” Alex hisses.

“But how did they know about Jessica?” I ponder out loud.

“Take a wild guess,” Alex chuckles as we turn towards the stairs.

I stop to look at them. “Sasha?”

“Bingo.”

He’s right. She was there at Kizziah’s pack with her father. Both of them had witnessed the fracas that ensued.

“What do we do about her?” Alex asks, his voice itching for some confrontation with her. He never liked her from the first day she came.

I don’t feel the need to do anything since I have warned my elders of the consequences of the rumors flying around. “Let’s leave it to the elders and see how much they love their heads.”

“Either way, Volk can’t wait to sink his teeth into her soft neck,” he says with a wicked grin on his face.

“You’re worse than a feral wolf,” Tyler scoffs and they start to bicker like little boys.

I am used to their back and forth, being friends with them almost all my life. They are like my own brothers and they see me as that too. We have been through many fights and ordeals that I trust them with my life.

“Tell the kitchen to prepare a dinner befitting my Luna tonight. Invite the elders. Have the car prepared, I am taking her shopping for clothes,” I say to Alex.

“Can I come?” Alex asks, running forward to face me.

“What for? You need another shirt or jeans with the heap lying, unused in your wardrobe?” Tyler scolds him.

“He doesn’t need any clothes. He wants to see Darcy,” I wiggle my brows at him and immediately his face turns red and he faces away.

“I don’t know what you two are talking about,” he grunts and walks away, leaving Tyler and me behind in a fit of laughter.

“Do you think he will choose her?” Tyler says.

“That’s if her father doesn’t poison him with wolfsbane,” I smack his chest gently. “I will catch up later. Keep me posted about the rumors.”

“Sure, Nate,” he nods and leaves.

My legs swiftly move on their own accord and my heartbeat races with anxiety. I can’t wait to see her face.

Taking long steps, my feet reach the door to my room and I sniff the air. My eyes widen in alarm. I take another sniff of the air around me, gently opening the door to meet an empty room.

Her scent is faint.

“Flower,” I call out as I walk towards the bathroom, knocking as I don’t want to barge in and startle her.

“Jess?” I call as I start to open the door. “Are you inside?” Alarm bells are roaring to life in my head, Declan fueling my fear.

I bang the door open and look around the place. There’s no sound of her using it. Her scent is not even here.

Running back to the room, I check the windows, sniffing them to see if she jumped or someone took her…

Took her.

My mind flies to when we were attacked on the way from Kizziah’s pack. I remember his vow to get her back. Oh no. Dread washes over me like water down a cliff, cold and paralyzing.

“I am going to rip his head off his neck!” Declan growls ferociously in my head, struggling for control and I let him.

I dash out of the room, linking my men. “The Luna has been taken! Close all the borders and let no one out!”